Pastor Phill Robbins

Born 1951 San Marino, California. Married Hollis (King) Robbins, a Chicago native, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Brookfield, Illinois in 1972. Graduated 1976 from Elmhurst College, BA in History and English. We moved that year to Eloy, Arizona, where we taught in a small private school for a year. Moved the next year to Escondido, California, and have lived there ever since. Member at Community Lutheran Church and Grace Lutheran Church, both in Escondido, from 1989. Joined the staff at Grace/Escondido in 1996 as Church Administrator; entered a Concordia Seminary program sited at Concordia/Irvine, graduated May 2006 with an MTheo and pastoral certification. Ordained and installed as Associate Pastor at Grace/Escondido August 2006. Interests are travel, history, and antique firearms, especially British military flintlock small arms. We have a married daughter, living in Brooklyn, NY.
 

Dear Christian Friends,

What joy it is this day to sign and send to Crown of Life the call you have extended to me! Hollis and I are humbled and thankful that you would place such trust in me. I look forward to joining you for worship on Saturday and Sunday, July 18th and 19th.

In this next month I will be finishing up a ministry of 13 years at Grace/Escondido, first as Administrator, then as Pastor, and I must tell you I am not out of love with the people of this parish. I must also tell you I found the call to Crown of Life exciting and, finally, irresistible. Crown of Life has a widespread reputation as a congregation of faithful and hard-working Christians. You have been and are led by effective and devoted servants, lay and ordained. You are a Human Care powerhouse. Your heart for missions beats strong and you put your gifts of love where your heart is. It is a thrill to become a part of such a congregation.

Paul, writing in Colossians, says this: “We always thank God, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints…” (Col. 1:3-4, NIV) Paul had never been to Colossae, had never met the people for whom he prayed there. But he knew of them, prayed for them, loved them from afar. We don’t know each other yet, you and me. I covet your prayers, for safe travel in July and for my ministry among you, and I offer up daily my prayers for Crown of Life. Each day they become less about YOU and ME, and more about US, a ministry team united at the foot of the cross of Calvary.

Today in Escondido it is overcast and below 70 degrees. I look forward to coming to Sun City West and warming up just a bit.

May God continue to richly bless you all!

In His Service,

Pastor Phill